Jim Edmonds vs Gary Sheffield: Career Stats Comparison
Gary Sheffield has the better career line of the two, leading 13 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Jim Edmonds played 1993–2010 as a hitter; Gary Sheffield played 1988–2009 as a hitter.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
Jim Edmonds (1993–2010) and Gary Sheffield (1988–2009) — they broke in during the 1990s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Jim Edmonds finished with 1,949 hits and 393 home runs; Gary Sheffield finished with 2,689 hits and 509 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Gary Sheffield, with 509 to Jim Edmonds's 393.
- Who had the higher OPS? Gary Sheffield, with .907 to Jim Edmonds's .903.
- Who had the higher batting average? Gary Sheffield, with .292 to Jim Edmonds's .284.
- Who had more hits? Gary Sheffield, with 2,689 to Jim Edmonds's 1,949.
- Who drove in more runs? Gary Sheffield, with 1,676 to Jim Edmonds's 1,199.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Gary Sheffield, with 44,001 career PIV to Jim Edmonds's 28,444.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Jim Edmonds
Gary Sheffield
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jim Edmonds and Gary Sheffield. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 14 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other one is a counting total on which fewer is not an achievement, so no one is awarded it. Counting stats reward longevity, and strikeouts are left unmarked because a longer career accumulates more of them. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, and the 1990s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jim Edmonds | Gary Sheffield |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,011 | Leads: 2,576 |
| At-Bats | 6,858 | Leads: 9,217 |
| Runs | 1,251 | Leads: 1,636 |
| Hits | 1,949 | Leads: 2,689 |
| Doubles | 437 | Leads: 467 |
| Triples | 25 | Leads: 27 |
| Home Runs | 393 | Leads: 509 |
| RBI | 1,199 | Leads: 1,676 |
| Walks | 998 | Leads: 1,475 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,729 | 1,171 |
| Stolen Bases | 67 | Leads: 253 |
| Batting Avg | .284 | Leads: .292 |
| On-Base % | .376 | Leads: .393 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .527 | .514 |
| OPS | .903 | Leads: .907 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Gary Sheffield outpaces Jim Edmonds 44,001 to 28,444 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,833 PIV per season to 1,497, across 24 seasons to 19. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
PIV is computed through the 2025 season. The career totals on this page include 2026 to date, so PIV does not yet reflect the 2026 season.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
Jim Edmonds — top 3 seasons by OPS
Gary Sheffield — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Gary Sheffield leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Jim Edmonds owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Gary Sheffield. PIV agrees: Gary Sheffield grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jim Edmonds and Gary Sheffield careers compare
From 1993 through 2009, Jim Edmonds and Gary Sheffield were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,011 games for Jim Edmonds and 2,576 for Gary Sheffield across 19 and 24 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Jim Edmonds are slugging percentage (.527 to .514). Plate discipline differs: Jim Edmonds struck out more than walked (1,729 to 998), but Gary Sheffield walked more often than struck out (1,475 walks, 1,171 strikeouts). Gary Sheffield was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Jim Edmonds holds the edge, .527 to .514.
Jim Edmonds vs Gary Sheffield: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jim Edmonds or Gary Sheffield?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Gary Sheffield leads Jim Edmonds in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jim Edmonds or Gary Sheffield hit more home runs?
- Gary Sheffield, with 509 to Jim Edmonds's 393.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Gary Sheffield, with .907 to Jim Edmonds's .903.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Gary Sheffield, with .292 to Jim Edmonds's .284.
- Who had more hits?
- Gary Sheffield, with 2,689 to Jim Edmonds's 1,949.